On its own, the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero is beautiful place to reflect on the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.
But much like we look back at the tragic events of that day through the lens of history, visiting the Memorial without first seeing New York City fails to give you the full picture of a city that has prevailed, rising above fear.
And with the anniversary quickly approaching, New York Water Taxi’s new Hop-on/Hop-off tour that includes a visit to the 9/11 Memorial provides context to the tragedy by showing visitors both the grandeur and industry of Old New York, and the optimism and hope that overcame tragedy in the years following 9/11.
Starting off at New York Water Taxi’s West 44th Street dock, the narrated tour heads down the Hudson River past the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor to Battery Park, where guests disembark for the short walk to the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. Timed entry tickets ensure access to the Memorial, which features twin reflecting pools that stand in the footprint of the World Trade Center towers that fell on Sept. 11, 2001. Bronze panels bear the names of nearly three thousand people who died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The Memorial also features the largest manmade waterfalls in North America.
And on this anniversary, the 11th since the Twin Towers fell, guests at the Memorial can look up to see 1 World Trade Center — known as the “Freedom Tower” — defiantly rising above Ground Zero. Currently under construction, when completed the Freedom Tower will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
Following a visit to the Memorial, guests head back to New York Water Taxi’s dock at Battery Park, where boats depart for the ferry service’s other four docks throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. Hop off at Pier 1 Fulton Ferry for great views of the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the United State’s largest suspension bridges and a feat of engineering in its day. Or cruise by Wall Street, the economic engine that still drives NYC. With a whole day of access to New York Water Taxi’s ferries, there’s little you can’t see on this affordable tour. (And consider this: a cab from the West Side of Manhattan to Brooklyn could cost as much — if not more! — than the daily rate for New York Water Taxi’s Hop-on/Hop-off + 9/11 Memorial Combo, and the only narration you’ll get on that ride is your cabbie yelling into his Bluetooth).
So what NYC landmark do you think is a good accompaniment to the 9/11 Memorial?
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